Retirement
by maedeux
Summary: In the wake of a tragedy Wally and Artemis decide to retire. Slightly AU One-shot. Spitfire.


**An: Just a little that popped into my head after starting season 2 of Young Justice. I has sat un uploaded for the last six years.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.**

* * *

I don't know what I was hoping for, but it wasn't this. We were supposed to stay in the hero business and go to Stanford. We knew it would be tough, but we had each other and that was all that mattered. All that changed after Aquagirl died. I guess that's when Wally realized how dangerous it really was to be a hero, but hey that's what we signed up for. I love him though and we all make sacrifices for the ones that we love.

"Ready," he asks.

I nod yes afraid I won't have a voice when we go to speak.

We walk into Mount Justice everyone is there it seems like they are all looking at us, but I know that's not the case. Aquaman and his wife are there. Their young son is standing between them, gripping both their hands tightly. Green Arrow with Black Canary wrapped in his arms sobbing. He's ready to cry, but he's holding it in until they're home. Even Red Arrow showed up, he looks like he's exhausted and barely managed to drag himself here, but as Kaldur's best friend he had to come. M'gaan's weeping and trying to give everyone cookies all at the same time. Superboy is standing with Superman, looking like he wants more than anything to comfort M'gaan.

I jump at the hand that wraps around my waist. It's Wally's though. I was so lost in thought that I didn't even realize he'd gone to talk to his uncle. I walk over to Green Arrow as Black Canary leaves to accept the tissues Wonder Woman is holding.

"Ollie," my voice is hoarse, doesn't even sound like my own.

He pulls me into a tight hug. I feel the pin pricks of tears behind my eyes.

"Don't worry kiddo; we'll get past this…eventually." There is an air of desperation in his tone. I know that he wants to believe what he's telling me, but after all that we've been through I'm not sure how.

"I know, but Ollie I've decided to take an early retirement," I say with a forced smile, "I don't think that it will be permanent. I just need time to-to grieve. Yeah that's it grieve." I hate lying to Ollie, but it's all I can do. I don't think he'd like the idea of me quitting just to placate Wally.

"Really," he asks looking at me doubt heavy in his eyes.

"No, Wally is scared with Tula's death he felt it was time to retire, but I'm willing to try quitting with him."

"Okay, I'm not going to lie I've considered asking Dinah to stop being Black Canary for a little while, so I can't argue with Wally's reasoning, but if you ever want to come back don't let him force you to stay away. Okay?"

"Yeah."

I see Batman walk into the room followed by Aqualad and Nightwing. Aqualad walks over to Red Arrow who puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Um hum," Batman coughs for everyone's attention, "given recent events Kaldur'ahm has decided to discontinue being part of The Team."

"Umm, Batman," Wally speaks up, "I've decided to retire too."

I'm surprised that he didn't say that the both of us retire, but I think he means to leave the choice to me. Here goes nothing.

"Me too."

I see Wally's eyes light up when I say it. He's pretending to look shocked, but he knew that I'd keep my word.

It's later that night we're in our small apartment packing up all of our stuff before we leave for Stanford.

"Thanks," he says out of the blue.

"For what?"

"Retiring with me- you didn't have to, but you did and that means a lot to me."

"When it came down to it, it wasn't that hard of a decision. I love you and I knew that you'd support me no matter what decision I made, but I wanted to let you keep your nails."

Wally laughs at my reference to his mail biting. He does it when he's nervous when I'm on a mission. I can take care of myself, but I know it makes him feel better that I retired.

* * *

We're in our senior year of college when it happens. Flash ran to the desert taking a bomb planted in Roy's apartment complex with him. It was meant for Cheshire, but neither she nor Roy was there at the time. Lian was home alone…I don't know what they were thinking. A neighbor found the bomb and called the cops who put out an S.O.S to the League. Flash was the closest. The bomb wasn't just big enough to destroy the building but at least half of Star City. Instead of disarming it Barry thought it would be faster to take it somewhere where it wouldn't harm anyone if it detonated. He got it out in time saving the day as usual, but he almost got lost to the Speed Force. I've herd Wally talk about how bad it could be, but it wasn't until I saw it taking the combined efforts of Wally and Jay pulling Barry out; Iris watching from the side lines kids in her arms gripping her shoulders like they understood everything that was happening and what it meant if Wally and Jay didn't succeed, that I understood what it meant and how dangerous it was.

They pulled him out, but after that Iris makes him promise that he'll give up the mantle.

Batman comes by our house to share his condolences, but it's Batman so every thing has strings attached. He brought Dick with him and they haven't spoken in over a year so I know what he's about to ask.

"You fucking bastards!" I scream as I'm slamming the door in his face.

They don't come back until I'm gone and Wally's home alone.

"Babe," he says as I'm walking through the door.

"Let me guess you already agreed. Didn't even think to ask what your girlfriend would say or how she would feel." I say voice rising with every word.

"It's not like that."

"Of course it's not. Sure I can 'retire' when you ask, but you don't even talk to me when you're considering coming out of retirement."

"Arty, listen it's not that I didn't want to talk about it, I did, but I knew how you'd react. Don't worry I have to go through six months of training before I'm officially part of the League."

"Oh, because that's going to make me feel so much better. I stood there with Iris while you and Jay almost collapsed from pulling Barry out. Do you realize how much that kills me inside, to have to be the one to sit through that every night, while you're off being the Flash?"

"In case you forgot he is my uncle! I sat there just barely able to save the life of my uncle and you're here lecturing me about sitting on the sidelines. Unlike you I wasn't on the sidelines and I could actually do something to help. It's the same thing now you're just refusing to look at it like that."

I storm off to our room gather a pillow and blanket, throwing them out the door.

"Good night!" I yell.

I lock the room door and window so he can't get in he has no clue how pissed I am right now.

When I get up in the morning he's gone, can't say I was prepared for this, but I'm Artemis Crock I don't need anyone. I'll be just fine by myself.

That afternoon when I come home from school all his stuff is gone too. I don't know where he went, but frankly I don't give a damn.

* * *

It's a month later when I'm sobbing on the bathroom floor stick in my hand screaming pregnant. I'm still on the floor, tears still falling fast an hour later, I really wish Wally was here to help me through this, but I'm a big girl I don't need him. So I pick myself up off the floor dry my tears and ice both eyes so that no one will know that I've been crying.

I hear a knock at the door and go to answer it. I'm hoping that it's Wally, but in the back of my head I know that it isn't. I open the door to see Roy and Jade, Lian asleep in Roy's arms.

"Can we stay?" Jade asks.

"Of course," I say taking Lian out of Roy's arms and putting her in the room she always uses when she'd come over.

"Where's Wally?" Roy asks

At the mention of his name a fresh wave of tears comes on. Jade and Roy look at me bewilderment plain on their faces.

"We broke up," I say simply.

Jade pulls me into a hug while Roy awkwardly pats my back. They're not sure what to do, so we just stand there for a while like that.

Jade and Roy have been staying with me for a month. They're still pretty shaken after the bomb incident. Living without Wally is getting easier everyday.

Iris and Barry stop by. She feels that it's her fault, because Wally wouldn't have gotten called up to be the Flash if she hadn't made Barry quit. I make sure she knows that it's not her fault and if I blamed her I could blame Cheshire, who the bomb was meant for, Roy for bringing her to Star City, and the list would go on. But no the only person that was to blame was Wally. He walked out without even a goodbye and made himself clear, get on board or get out of his life.

* * *

It's a month after Iris and Barry's visit when I'm watching the news, Wally's flirting with Linda Park a new news woman. No big deal, this is Wally we're talking about so I'm not surprised. Flirting. Charming. Wally. I clutch my slightly bulging belly. I'm debating about telling him, but I decide against it.

"I might have left the business, but I'm willing to take on special cases for my little sis's sake. So which on will it be the flirting superhero or the star-struck reporter."

"Neither, leave him be the less I let his crap effect me the better off I'll be."

That statement proved true. Wally's been gone over a year and I can actually watch a news report, him flirting with Linda Park the entire time without throwing the remote at the t.v or having thoughts of briefly making Jade come out of retirement for one last job. Of course the four month old baby in I'm currently bottle feeding aids in stopping me too. I didn't tell Jade and Roy until I knew the sex and Iris and Barry didn't find out until I was in labor.

They don't like my decision, but they respect it. Iris and Barry of all people should know how unreliable Wally can be at times. I know that they are hoping that I'll reconsider, tell him and then we'll get married and live happily ever after and all that crap, but it's not what I want I'm Artemis Crock single mother now, and it'll probably stay that way for a while,

* * *

It's been roughly a year and a half since Wally left, things have changed. Jason is 11 months old and walking. I live in Central City now. Iris and Barry needed a babysitter for the kids and Jason likes to be near his aunt, uncle, and cousins too. As far as I know Wally still lives in Bludhaven with Dick. I haven't seen or heard from him since the night before he left, when I put him on the couch. Sometimes I wonder if things would have been different had I been okay with him being the Flash, if I had tried to contact him after he left, told him about Jason, but then I remind myself that he was the one who left- he didn't want me and there was nothing I could do about it. I doubt knowing that I, we, had a child would change that.

Things are relatively quiet in Central even with Flash not residing there anymore, but then again he's here so often that they probably don't realize he doesn't live here. So I can say it's a complete surprise when I stop in the bank on my way home and unknowingly walk into a hostage situation. I'm pulled up into the air hanging, by the arm, by a thief. I'm hanging on for dear life. I've been out of the hero business for about five years I'm slightly rusty, but that doesn't mean I don't have an ace up my sleeve. I pull a small knife out of my sleeve and use it to stab the hand of the thief holding me in the air. I'm released and take off running for cover, but before I can run away I'm being dragged back into the spotlight. This time I'm hogtied and stripped down to nothing but my bra and underwear being frisked the entire time.

It feels like everyone is staring at me. That poor girl who thought she could stop the robbers. I still can. The alarm hasn't been tripped so like any former hero when the crooks turned their backs I rolled over to it, then hopped up to trigger the alarm. Thank god it's silent.

Soon enough thought the crooks realize what I've done. The police have the building surrounded and one of the crooks picks me up by my ropes, takes me out in all my under clothed glory with a gun to my head.

"Let us walk or the babe here gets it."

I look from the police to the crook; this is the one time I hope that the police actually give in. I see Iris behind the tape mike in hand, panicked look on her face.

Then I lay eyes on the last person I wanted to see me like this, Wally, dressed as Flash of course. By the look on his face and the position of his body it looks like he was in the process of flirting with Linda Park when the crook stepped out using me as a bargaining chip.

Even with the cowl guarding his eyes I can tell he's conflicted, he doesn't know how to feel. I don't think these are the circumstances that either of us wanted to meet under.

The crook hits me over the back of the head to make his point. I have no clue what happens after that everything goes black.

The next time I wake up I'm in my bed Wally lying next to me I look at the clock 11:30. Damn.

I get out of bed careful not to jar Wally. I head to Jade and Roy's to pick up Jason. They're surprised to see me so soon. They saw the news and said that if I need anything they'll help. They even offer to come and stay with me, but I tell them I'll be alright. Lian straggles out of her room before I leave I kiss both her and Jade on the forehead and hug Roy goodbye before I leave. When I get home Wally's gone as expected.

It's the next night; I've put Jason down to bed, when I hear a knock at the door.

I open it and see Wally standing there.

"Can I come in?" he asks.

I step out of the way to let him in. As soon as I close the door he spins me around. In a matter of seconds I pressed up against the wall, legs wrapped around Wally's waist. Feverish kisses being placed everywhere. I gasp as Wally's warm lips start trailing down my neck, sucking on my pulse point. He turns and carries me to the bed laying us down, him on top. His lips are back on mine, he lightly bites my bottom lip begging for entrance, I oblige him. With him distracted by our tongues fighting for dominance I flip us over. His hands are at my waist sliding up the back of my shirt. I feel him unhook my bra, our kiss breaks then both my bra and shirt are gone. I take his off when his lips are off mine trailing down my neck. I moan and feel him smirk against my neck. I reach for his belt as our lips meet again; he slightly lifts his legs up so I can get rid of his pants. As soon as his pants are off I feel his hands reaching for the button on my pants. He flips us over as he's yanking down my pants. It's then that I notice that his boxers are gone. One piece of fabric, that's it, is all that's separating me from taking over a hundred steps back. 'What the hell!' I think.

It's later that night when I'm laying there head buried in Wally's chest he's running his fingers through my hair, trying to pretend he's not smelling it. He smiles down at me and I smirk back. I'm scared and waiting, I know the inevitable this was all a mistake line is coming soon so I don't get my hopes up. Sure I've missed him, but he chose to leave and I've been doing well without him.

"Artemis?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have left like that. I overreacted. I was immature and a jerk, you were only worried about me and I didn't take that into consideration. And then when I saw you today, pretty much naked being held up by those robbers I couldn't stand the idea of you getting hurt on my watch. I never have, not back when we were teenagers not now. I know I'm probably the most selfish idiot on the planet, but I just wanted you to know that I am sorry."

"So it took me coming close to getting killed in a bank robbery for you to realize that?" I ask voice starting to rise.

"I'm trying to apologize here. Don't you see that? After all this time I still love you."

"All what time Wally? Is has been a year and a half. And you know you could have fooled me with all that flirting you do with Linda."

"You saw that," he says scratching the back of his head, guilty look on hi face.

"Everyone did Wally, you made it pretty clear that it took you little to no time to get over me."

"It was that, I-I…I don't know, I just…"

He's cut off by cries from the baby monitor. I swear under my breath and get out of bed, and walk into Jason's room grabbing a bottle on my way. I pick him up feeding him. I see Wally come in the room out of the corner of my eye. He's standing behind me taking in the strawberry blonde hair, the green eyes, the slight freckles dusting across the bridge of his nose, just like his dad's.

"His name's Jason," I say.

"Is he-is he…is he mine?"

"Obviously," I say while rolling my eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"By the time I found out you had already left."

"So I would have come back."

"If you wanted to you would have, baby or no baby, but I guess Linda Park was just too entertaining compared to boring old Artemis."

He's rolls his eyes at this.

"Artemis I love you, how many times do I have to say it. I just want a chance to make this right."

"Fine, you get one shot that's it"

We fall into some semblance of a regular rhythm after that, Wally stays with me, but on the couch. He still wants to know _what the hell a Jason berry is_. We're slowly getting back to how we were. It's a process, but we'll make it.

* * *

So, that's retirement. I couldn't resist naming him Jason Barry. Please tell me what you think.


End file.
